Flashback

“Taemin!”

Taemin stops walking when Minho approaches him.

He brought two take out coffee with him.

“Did you drop off the café before coming?”

“Ahh yeh. Mr. Brown brews these for us. Specialy.”

Minho laughs before he passes one of the coffees to Taemin.

He takes a sip and smiles.

“This is good.”

“It is.”

Minho shakes his head when Taemin scroll on his phone.

“Checking on the stock again?”

Taemin chuckles.

“It’s fun Minho. Look at this. It is rising continuously.”

He smiles and puts his phone in his bag when Minho shows no interest.

“So, are we good now?”

Minho raises his shoulders with a chuckle.

“Let’s go and meet hyung.”

“Okay.”

                                                                                                ***

“Babe, I am in the same land and development class with Minho.”

“Chinca?”

“And we will be in the same group for the group assignment.”

“Ahhh.”

Jonghyun sighs in relief while rubbing his chest.

“Wae?”

“I can depend on him in taking care of you.”

Jonghyun chuckles.

“Aishh babe. Since when are you being this protective?”

“Since this early year? Do you know how a year past by when you are in Korea?”

Luna shakes her head.

“I’m loyal.”

“You are, but the boys there aren’t.”

Luna just giggles.

“There they are.”

Jonghyun waves to the boys when he saw them.

“You are not checking the stock market today?”

He teases him when Taemin walks with both of his hands inside his pocket.

Taemin punches his arm playfully as he sits down.

“I can’t with this guy around.”

“Yah. I’m not saying anything.”

Taemin shrugs and sips his coffee.

“Hey Luna.”

“Hi, unfortunately I can't join you guys. I’m leaving now. English class. Goodbye guys. Bye babe.”

“Okay. Watch where you walk Luna.”

Taemin said with a smile.

Minho waves to Luna before she ascended to the café’s exit and turns his attention to Jonghyun.

“What are you working at with that serious face hyung?”

“I can’t get this one. I’ve been trying since last night.”

“Which one?”

Taemin asks while he looks at Jonghyun’s paper.

“This.”

“That’s easy hyung.”

Taemin took the pen from jonghyun and starts to write on a piece of paper.

“You do this one first, then this, after you done with this, do this one; see, I marked it as ‘n’, the other two are 'm' and 'p' and you  just need to add them before you multiply it with the last one. You need to use this formula on the top. And it’s done.”

Taemin writes the last answers and put down the pen leaving Jonghyun with his mouth agape.

“I’ve been trying for hours. You did it in few minutes? Daebak.”

Jonghyun took the paper and studied it carefully.

“That easy?”

Minho just laughs at Jonghyun’s expression.

“You just need to text me hyung. You don’t need to cancel your date for that one question.”

“Yah. When did I?”

“He stops by at the café last night to help me and we both saw Luna walking home with her friends.”

“I’m squeezing my brain for the answer. I should have ask you and eat my dinner at Luna’s. Aishh.”

“You know he is a math genius right hyung.”

Minho said while he takes out his diary.

“I didn't think that far. So, class is done for the day?”

“Nope. I have economic class.”

“Economics for me too. And we are free after that.”

“Will you stop by at the café today?”

“I think I will. It’s getting bored at home.”

“You can talk to me then.”

Jonghyun leans to Taemin and whispers to him.

“That boy is always with books.”

He points at Minho who was writing something in his diary.

Taemin laughs.

“We are gonna have our first examination hyung. It’s important.”

“Aishh you both are genius. You can do it.”

Jonghyun glances at his watch and puts his books in his bag.

“I’ll be going now. Finance and marketing.”

He ended with a sigh.

“Hyung, you chose that, cheer up.”

“Ara ara. See you later guys.”

Minho just nods while Taemin leans his back on the chair.

“We got another hour before the class starts. Want to go somewhere?”

“Where?”

“Where do you want to go?”

“Library?”

“Expected from you Minho.”

Taemin shakes his head, chuckling.

“I need to score the best Taemin. My future is at stake. I want to go back and fulfill my promise too.”

“You promise to someone? A girlfriend perhaps?”

Minho smiles.

“My first love.”

“Woahh. You have a girlfriend.”

“It’s not like that. I promised to myself that I’ll be a successful person before I confess to her.”

“So, you didn’t tell her yet?”

Minho shakes his head.

“What if she found someone else before you come back?”

“I’ll accept it as my fate.”

“Minho yah. You should tell her. Give her a call or something. Tell her to wait for you. Tell her.”

“I can’t. Do you know how did I ended up studying here? In this top University?”

Taemin stares at him.

“It’s because of scholarship.”

“Right. Her father makes it happen.”

“Ohh. So, you think that her father pitied you?”

“No. But still, I have to gain something to make me more confident. To show her that I am capable enough to be her husband.”

Taemin nods few times.

“I wish you luck then Minho.”

“Thanks Taemin.”

“So, let’s go to the library?”

Minho chuckles.

“We’ll go to where you want today.”

“You sure?”

Minho nods and closes his diary before he puts it in his bag.

“Kaja.”

Taemin smiles.

“Okay. Let’s go.”

                                                                                                ***

“Taemin, you are going out again?”

“Deh. Later at night. Waeyo?”

“Your hyung called earlier. Do call him back neh.”

“Ahh okay. Thanks mom. I’ll call hyung later.”

“How are your studies going on son?”

“Great as always mom. I think I can top the batch.”

“That’s good. You are our one and only hope. Since your hyung shows no interest in dad’s company.”

“I’ll take care of that mom. I’m so in love in business. I love dealing with people too.”

“That’s my son.”

Taemin chuckles.

“But you love hyung more.”

“Don’t say things like that. It’s just that he lives away from us.I have to pay more attention to him right?”

“Ara mom. I’m just joking.”

Mrs. Lee smiles.

“Do you have anything that you want to eat? I’ll cook for you.”

“Can I have seaweed soup?”

“Seaweed soup? Why? It’s not even your birthday.”

Mrs. Lee widens her eyes after she glances to the calender.

“It’s your birthday.”

She bites her lips while Taemin chuckles.

“I’m right when I said you love hyung more.”

“Yahh. Don’t say that.”

“Cook the best seaweed soup for me first.”

“Aishh this kid. Go on and take your bath. I’ll call you when I’m done. By the way.”

Mrs. Lee smiles and hugs Taemin.

She pats his back lovingly before she kisses his cheek.

“Saengil chukahae.”

 “Gomawo mom.”

Mrs. Lee nods.

Taemin smiles as he walks upstairs.

He took out the pen that Minho gives him and smiles.

"Thank you for remembering my birthday buddy."